So you’re planning an Office 365 migration. No doubt you’ve been told how straightforward and easy such an undertaking can be. No doubt your CEO thinks you go around the office with a CD to download to each and every laptop. No doubt your are eagerly researching via Google only to hear the horror stories of projects going desperately wrong due to poor planning, lack of technical experience/ resource or just lack of time.
In simple terms Office 365 migrations carry a large degree of risk given the size, variety of format and complexity of data that is needed to be moved. Because of this, any migration requires a clear understand of current data silos and there projected homes. Ask any Project Manager with Office 365 migration on their CV and you will hear the voice of hindsight “Plan and test your back up and switch well in advance”.
So why do so many Office 365 Migration projects go wrong? Many experience Office 365 technicians state good planning and a strong technical understanding as key components to a successful migration. Recarta IT Office 365 specialist Rob White explains “It’s normal for us to be invited into a client when a migration project goes wrong. Typically these projects fail at the back up or production stages when there’s little time for a plan ‘B’ when storage or application servers fail. The net result is the project comes to a grinding halt. My advice? know the legacy and proposed environment workload requirements prior to specifying any SAN or Production hardware”.
For many engineers, it’s a simple case of understanding the basics of the Office 365 entities, the projected data volume and types.
The video below gives a simple introduction to the set up and planning aspects of a O365 project. It gives genuine insight into the migration process and how good planning could save a thousand heartaches.
What next?
If you’re looking to migrate your Office 365 or need advice on how best to upgrade from your current email solution, speak to someone with experience first. Our consultants have helped organizations save £££ through their methodical and timed approach to Office 365 migrations. Call us to arrange an inertial call with an experienced consultant.